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How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.
I took this photo of my wife working from home about a month ago and it’s one of my favorites. It really captures this year for me. Although it’s been a year of disruption and isolation from many of our friends and family, it’s also been a year of getting so much more time together and of comfort, warmth, and love. That’s what this picture represents to me. The end of this week will mark when my vaccine should be fully effective and I’ve really started to think about what life is going to be like coming out of this. It’s been weird because I have spent so long trying to prepare to be in this altered state for a very, very long time, that I didn’t really allow myself to think about going “back to normal.” And now normal feels like the altered state. Now going back to the way things were seems almost disruptive because we’ve adapted to how life is now. Already work is going back to regular full schedules and I’m not really looking forward to that because I’ve enjoyed the time off even at a reduced paycheck. I am looking forward to seeing friends and my family again but I still don’t even know when that will be. I think we will have to start small and go from there. I do hope we can keep some of the habits and lessons and good things from this year - an appreciation of time with each other and slowing down every once in awhile.
March 14, 2021
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Think about the last time you were in close proximity to any strangers -- maybe at work, at the grocery store, or on public transportation. Did that feel different than it did a year ago?
I actually saw a play last night in a room full of strangers. I found myself angling my body toward the friend next to me and away from the stranger on my left - even though I know it doesn't matter at that point. The venue required proof of vaccination at the door and everyone in the audience was masked. But it still felt super weird. But also almost normal? I imagine it's weird from the stage not being able to see everyone's full faces. So much of live performance is being able to get a read on how the audience is reacting, and when you can only see people's eyes I imagine that's super hard. A year ago I couldn't even wrap my head around the possibility of being in a room with strangers (or anyone, really) so it was wild to feel almost safe last night. And from everything I'm reading it seems like what I experienced last night is just....the way it's going to be forever? So better get used to it, I guess.
October 28, 2021